Lighting/Advice for baby Greek :)

[milkandsam]

Hello!
I have a new baby Ibera Greek Tortoise.

I have been reading everything I can about lighting/substrates/etc. I have http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00061V53Y/?tag=exoticpetnetw-20
as my UVB light, is that ok or does is it cause issues with vision/eye problems. I have read about the "coil" UVB lights and that most set-ups from large corporations (like petsmart) are horrible. I got this as a Zoomed uvb/heat kit from petsmart.

Just trying to raise a healthy tort!

Thanks for any input/advice!

Anna
0.1.0 Dog
0.0.2 Crested Geckos
0.0.1 Greek Tort

 

[stinax182]

those are the coil types that have been known to cause blindness. most people would advise against it.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0009YHSWK/?tag=exoticpetnetw-20
this is what i use.


http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0002AQDJK/?tag=exoticpetnetw-20
this provides light, heat and uvb waves.

 

[Jlant85]

Alright lets get started.

Substrate: I like to use top soil with barks on top. The reason i do this is because the topsoil don't dry out as fast and it maintains the humidity really well. At a younger age, having a higher humidity really counts for a lot. It helps prevent them from pyramiding.

Lighting and heat temperature: For lighting, I use mercury vapor bulbs. It has UVB that is very important to tortoises. UVB/UVA helps with the calcium breakdown. The temperatures: Basking 95-100 degrees/cooler end 75 degrees/Nigh time 75 degrees.

Humidity: I like to keep mine at 70. When they get older, you'll want to drop the humidity because it can cause respiratory issues.

Food: This gets tricky. there are so many food list for tortoises so i highly suggest to check out this website.
thetortoisetable.org.uk

I think that covers the basic of the basic.

 

[milkandsam]

Thanks so much! I have removed my coil UVB and will be getting a different one as quickly as possible!
Thank you so much for the help, I've already switched my substrate to coconut with cypress on top.

 

[Jlant85]

ooo i love the coconut husk cypress combo! another advise, buy one of those $1 spray bottle. Once you notice that the hask or the cypress is getting dried, you can spray away! =) i spend $4 for the heavy duty one ^_^v

 

[milkandsam]

ooo i love the coconut husk cypress combo! another advise, buy one of those $1 spray bottle. Once you notice that the hask or the cypress is getting dried, you can spray away! =) i spend $4 for the heavy duty one ^_^v

That's a great idea! Will add it to my ever growing shopping list!!

 

[milkandsam]

Just wondering.. How hot should my basking area be? It is usually in the 90s, but when I come home from work and check my max. temp, it has been as high as 106 . I am assuming this happens around noon when the sunlight heats up my apartment. Thoughts?

 

[Jlant85]

Just wondering.. How hot should my basking area be? It is usually in the 90s, but when I come home from work and check my max. temp, it has been as high as 106 . I am assuming this happens around noon when the sunlight heats up my apartment. Thoughts?

That is probably why. You dont have to worry about it too much. As long as they got a cooler end it should be fine. I usually place my basking area at one end of my enclosure and the other end the temperature drops. This way, he can pick a side. If he gets too hot he can move away from the basking spot. ^_^v

 

[milkandsam]

Good! I second guess everything that I do with Thor because I'm so afraid I will do something to hurt him!

On the plus side-he had refused to eat anything except endive... But he is now eating bok choy and a little bit of dandelion greens... Not as voraciously as he was eating the endive... But he is at least eating something else!! Woohoo!!

 

[Jlant85]

Good! I second guess everything that I do with Thor because I'm so afraid I will do something to hurt him!

On the plus side-he had refused to eat anything except endive... But he is now eating bok choy and a little bit of dandelion greens... Not as voraciously as he was eating the endive... But he is at least eating something else!! Woohoo!!

Good! Not so much bok choy though. This plant contains goitrogens, which can interfere with thyroid activity and contribute to kidney and bladder stones, but it is fine to feed as a small part of a wider, varied diet.

Here is a website i use to check what is good and what is not ^_^ hope this helps you as much as it helped me!

Thetortoisetable.org.uk

 

[milkandsam]

Great! I have been looking at this website, I just started to stress because he was ONLY eating endive (which I noted does not look AT ALL like the endive listed on the TT, but it's a dark green, leafy lettuce looking thing). Right now, I am having trouble getting "wild weeds" or plants from outside since it's cold and snowy... ick!

Apparently, now that I have left town (my fiance is taking care of him.. technically it's his tortoise anyways!! ha!) he is apparently devouring everything in sight! Maybe he is still settling into his new home since we've only had him for a few weeks, but he is now eating endive, dandelion greens, bok choy, and grassland supplemental pellets as well as spring mix and occasionally kale (another one of those feed in moderation foods )!!

Any other suggestions that would be easily obtainable as a primary food for the winter would be greatly appreciated! Can't wait to get some plants and (hopefully) by next winter be growing everything ourselves!!

 

[Jlant85]

I like to use green lettuce, dandelions, kale and other products i can find in the store ^_^ I also use mazuri ^_^ they go nuts for those. I have yet to try this one tortoise hay i found in tortoisesupply.com. hopefully next week or so. Their shipping is expensive and this is the reason why i dont buy from them as much but the seeds i buy from them is awesome! Also, another thing i like to do (i get weird reactions from people) is collect the dandelion seeds i see from the parks. I plant them in a pot. They seed fermentation takes a very long time but they do grow ^_^

 

[milkandsam]

Ok great! Thanks! We will continue to try and introduce new foods in small quantities as well... Because Thor has been sooooo picky!! Is the zoomed grassland pellets ok to feed regularly?

 

[Jlant85]

I dont use them as much. Mine done like them >.< But what i do is crush them and sprinkle them on top of the food they eat. Its good for fiber but i dont like to use them so much.

 

[milkandsam]

Fair enough. he doesn't seem to mind it, but doesn't eat a ton of it either

 

[StarSapphire22]

I feed and have had success with:
Spring mix
Raddichio (Loves this!)
Dandelion greens (a favorite!)
Kale
Bean sprouts (he loves these, but they're a bit high in protein so don't feed them all the time)
Pansies (he liked the flowers once in a while...and LOVED hiding in the plant...this would be great in an enclosure!)
Wheat grass (cat grass)
Mazuri
Canned pumpkin (small amounts, only occasionally)
Cherry tomatoes (a quarter of one as a birthday treat)

Things I've tried with no success:
Cucumber (tried it when he was afraid of his water dish, to get some extra water in him, he walked right by it)
Cilantro (he HATED it...literally avoided his food dish, it smelled pretty strong)
Shredded carrot (ate around it)

 

[Jlant85]

+1 for Starsapphire. Mine loves cucumber! THEY MURDER IT! lol.... I cant keep pansies in their enclosure... they will devour them! lol... didnt even give them a chance to grow!